Caution To The WInd

HER POV The wind was never at ease. It blows continuously, somewhere at some time. Just like the blood in our veins. But, blood can stop its flow at any point in time. No matter what we do, our blood will end in due time. And, during that time, people will use it to either leave their mark on the world or do absolutely nothing.  But, there are also people like me.  People who are lost and searching for meaning in their life. What is the reason for my existence? Why do I continue to live such a pitiful life? There are so many things in this world that are wrong and complicated, and no one bothers to see why. Maybe, if someone could understand, then the two kingdoms wouldn't be fighting in such a pathetic method.  We are all waiting for that person to appear and give us all the answers. The kings are tired of war, and the queens are crying for their loved ones. Their children are growing alone. But, the condition of ordinary people is worse. There are corpses everywhere you look, smoke, fire from buildings, and children screaming and crying for their dead parents. If there was ever a reason two kingdoms should fight, it would never be as pathetic to gain land.  Both kingdoms are wasting their time doing unnecessary fighting while their people are dying for the little honor that both countries have. Soon, their blood will stop, and their time will run out. Who will run the barren lands of Karrivore and Lusitania then? There are no souls that could survive this war, and that is why I have fled into the unknown areas beyond my kingdom's borders.  My name is Aria Riverside, a hidden princess from the kingdom of Karrivore.  I had escaped the clutches of my parents and ran off into the wilderness outside my kingdom's land. Here, where I was alone, I could be free from the high burdens of being a princess. I could forget about it. There was no weight on my chest, no pain in my mind and heart, and no one to keep me in a large, near-empty room.  Today, I became a free raven. I will remain that way for as long as I breathe.  I sighed.  My pale ocean eyes flittered from scenery to scenery as I ventured through the Forest of the Lost. My people had spoken of legendary creatures, god-like beings that lived here. So, I've always wanted to come here as a child, but my parents refused to let me outside the castle walls. It was a harsh reality I was trapped in for 22 years.  Raven-black tresses fluttered in the wind as I continued more in-depth into the lush green forest. A velvet maroon cape gently swayed around my knees, which were covered in black jeggings that I hardly wore. My upper body was clothed in a royal blue button-up shirt with black buttons keeping it closed. I had left all the belongings that had the Karrivore emblem on it and only took what I needed.  Birds sang in choirs and danced in the air, showing off their grace and beauty as I walked past. This place was nothing like I've seen before and nothing like the little amount of nature that the kingdom had. The trees were grand and towering over much more vegetation down below. Flowers and fruits in all shapes, colors, and sizes flourished at the roots of those trees. Somewhere in the distance, I could hear a waterfall.  'How long has it been since I felt so free? I feel like I could be here for the rest of my life.'  A small smile rested on my so-called delicate features as I glanced up at the sky, where the sun was shining brightly as if rejoicing my escape from the war.  I never realized I was being watched while ventured through the forest, and I certainly didn't expect anyone to appear in front of me. Especially not a shirtless man whose bottom half was the body of a giant serpent.  He had appeared at sunset when I had set a small fire out of dried wood around the area I settled. At first, all I could see were two amber eyes in the darkness, just floating there and unblinking. Then, he crept closer until we were mere inches apart from each other. The gentle flames showcased his firm chest and abdomen, as well as his pale skin and long, blue hair. His scales were a slightly darker shade of blue.  Without any words, he slithered to my side and wrapped his tail around in a comforting way. It wasn't all that bad. It felt nice to know that there was someone with me instead of staring into the darkness on my own.  'I don't know if I should talk to him. Can he even speak human language?'  "What's your name?" I jolted at the sudden voice. The man's voice was a deep baritone, husky, even. But, I was more shocked than he could speak the human language right when I was wondering if he could.  "Aria Auguste. You can call me Aria, however," I answered, angeling my body so I can face him comfortably.  "Curtis. It's nice to meet you, Aria," he greeted, stretching out his arm to shake hands with my own. His hands were cold, but they were soft and brought a little bit of comfort to me.  I stared down at his cerulean scales, drawing abstract patterns with my eyes, almost feeling tempted to touch them.  "You can touch them, but be careful. My scales really sharp and can cut your finger easily," Curtis informed. I watched his eyes flicker to my hands, which were rested on my lap.  "Your body is pretty stiff. You can relax, as long as I'm here, there's almost nothing that can hurt you," Curtis pointed out. I sighed, shaking my head. "No, that's not my concern. It's just I was raised in a way that my parents demanded that I have a straight posture," I assured, gently placing a hand on his scales, which were much more delicate than I had imagined.  "But it looks really uncomfortable. Can't you lean back and get the tension out of your system?" Curtis asked as his amber eyes scanned my back. I tried to do as he told, but it felt strange to lean back onto something rather... Squishy. I wasn't sure if it was normal, or he wasn't feeling well himself. The thought of Curtis being ill caused guilt to spread within my chest, and I shot a worried look to the snake hybrid. His body/tail was wrapped around me, but he was in his own separate pile of scales.  "Are you sure it doesn't hurt? I would hate it if you sacrificed your comfort for my own," I asked, pulling the maroon cape around my shoulders closer to my chin.  'I've never touched a snake before, so I know little to none about reptiles. Especially since I've been in the castle grounds all my life.' "Yes, I'm alright. Is something bothering you?" the blue-haired hybrid replied, shifting closer to me.  "It's just you're rather squishable, and I was wondering if you weren't feeling well," I responded, tucking a stray strand of black behind my ear. I heard Curtis chuckle and sit up as much as a snake could, revealing his bare abdomen.  'How is he not cold?' "You never saw anything like me, have you?" he asked, taking his new place right next to me. His left arm was pressed against my right, a smirk adorning his sharp features.  "I've never seen anything beyond the castle grounds. My parents never let me see the world outside the walls," I explained, tilting my head back so I could watch the stars taught me as they floated freely.  "You're a princess?"  I hummed a reply while drawing patterns with my eyes on the stars, trying to find a particular design.  "I thought you were from a tribe or something. You have superlative features from the Eagle clan, so I assumed you were lost or left behind by your kind," Curtis mused out loud.  Suddenly, I grew more curious about these "tribes" and "clans" that Curtis was talking about. There were so many things I didn't know about the environment around the two nations. And much knowledge that was kept secreted away from me with precise preparation.  'Why would Mother and Father keep this distant from me? What caused them to not teach me these things? Or, were they not aware of these things themselves?'  So, Curtis and I spent the rest of the long night talking about the world of Animal Tribes and Clans. Tribes were a term to say a category of animals like mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and so on. Clans were a term to specify what breed of bird, mammal, reptile, bird, fish, or amphibian a hybrid was. Hybrids being half-human and half-animal. They also had two forms to maintain. An animal form, where they take on all characteristics of their animal, and a human, where they only partially show aspects of their animal. The new knowledge fascinated me, and I wanted to see more people like Curtis.  "Your kind is incredible, Curtis. I wish I could meet more people like you," I lamented, beaming at the blue-haired male, who had a faint blush decorating his cheeks.  "It's nothing. Besides, there are plenty of tribes in this forest alone. But, they might not be as friendly as I am, so I'll help you on your journey across the forest, alright?" the hybrid offered while avoiding my eyes.  A hint of a smile appeared on my face at his sudden bashfulness. I nodded and watched in the direction of the East, where the sun would rise.  "You should get some rest, I'll rest with you. We're going to be moving around the whole day once the sun rises, so let's get some proper sleep before going, yes?" he suggested, tightening the coil around me by a little.  "Aren't you cold? Do you want my cape as a blanket?" I asked, slipping off the fabric to hand it over. Curtis shook his head, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.  "You have a lot of body heat, and since I can change my body temperature easily, I don't need a blanket," he insisted, as the two of us laid side by side in his coil of scales. It was strangely comforting to have someone next to me while I slept since my parents were never there to tuck me into bed.  "Thank you, Curtis. I appreciate it..." I mumbled before drifting into a deep slumber.  'Traveling this far really did tire me out. I guess I need to get used to moving around more.' CURTIS'S POV Her features were soft but sharp at the same time. Aria Auguste was by far the most beautiful woman I've met in my life. Perhaps it was her startling bright blue eyes that attracted me. Or, the way her hair danced at the slightest hint of a breeze. It could've been her soft and soothing voice, unlike the annoyingly high-pitched ones that most females have in my clan.  'She is worthy of being protected by me.' Aria gave off warmth, something that my tribe seeks as essential. Females with warm skin are the ones with the most mates, but her heat was different. I could feel it even when I wasn't touching her, but it felt better when I was sitting next to her.  Now, I have her in my arms as she slept. Even when she was asleep, Aria was as beautiful as someone who've been sent down from the Heavens. Her scent calmed me and put me at ease.  'I wonder if she would want to be my mate? I should ask her at a later time, however. We only met a few hours ago.'   I closed my eyes, evening out my breath with her own. For some reason, I felt an immediate connection with her when we shook hands. And that is somewhat surprising, coming from a being like myself. I am usually an antisocial hybrid, but tonight, I was talking to Aria like we've known each other for years. I wish we did, so I could ask her to be my mate as soon as possible.  'What am I thinking? I should be happy just to have met her before she got hurt or killed by a merciless clan or something.'  I breathed in her scent of fresh plumerias and the faintest hint of gladioluses. A delicate but addicting scent for someone just as precious. I smiled and ran my fingers through her hair. Her raven locks traveled past her shoulders and down to the bottom of breasts, which were plump and reasonably well in size.  Aria was definitely taken care of well as a daughter, and I imagine that her parents would be proud of her for growing up to be a wonderful woman.  She even had slight curves just at the right places, making it easier for me to embrace her. The feeling of her against my bare chest made my heart swell with pride. After all, she was comfortable and trusted me enough to sleep in my arms.  'Truly a gift, indeed.'